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Smoke Bellew
Smoke Bellew
by Jack London
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Smoke Bellew
THE TASTE OF THE MEAT。
I。
In the beginning he was Christopher Bellew。 By the time he was at
college he had become Chris Bellew。 Later； in the Bohemian crowd of
San Francisco； he was called Kit Bellew。 And in the end he was known
by no other name than Smoke Bellew。 And this history of the evolution
of his name is the history of his evolution。 Nor would it have happened
had he not had a fond mother and an iron uncle； and had he not received a
letter from Gillet Bellamy。
〃I have just seen a copy of the Billow；〃 Gillet wrote from Paris。 〃Of
course O'Hara will succeed with it。 But he's missing some plays。〃
（Here followed details in the improvement of the budding society weekly。）
〃Go down and see him。 Let him think they're your own suggestions。
Don't let him know they're from me。 If he does； he'll make me Paris
correspondent； which I can't afford； because I'm getting real money for my
stuff from the big magazines。 Above all； don't forget to make him fire
that dub who's doing the musical and art criticism。 Another thing； San
Francisco has always had a literature of her own。 But she hasn't any now。
Tell him to kick around and get some gink to turn out a live serial； and to
put into it the real romance and glamour and colour of San Francisco。〃
And down to the office of the Billow went Kit Bellew faithfully to
instruct。 O'Hara listened。 O'Hara debated。 O'Hara agreed。 O'Hara
fired the dub who wrote criticism。 Further； O'Hara had a way with him
the very way that was feared by Gillet in distant Paris。 When O'Hara
wanted anything； no friend could deny him。 He was sweetly and
compellingly irresistible。 Before Kit Bellew could escape from the office
he had become an associate editor； had agreed to write weekly columns of
criticism till some decent pen was found； and had pledged himself to write
a weekly instalment of ten thousand words on the San Francisco serial
and all this without pay。 The Billow wasn't paying yet； O'Hara explained；
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Smoke Bellew
and just as convincingly had he exposited that there was only one man in
San Francisco capable of writing the serial； and that man Kit Bellew。
〃Oh； Lord； I'm the gink！〃 Kit had groaned to himself afterwards on the
narrow stairway。
And thereat had begun his servitude to O'Hara and the insatiable
columns of the Billow。 Week after week he held down an office chair；
stood off creditors； wrangled with printers； and turned out twenty…five
thousand words of all sorts weekly。 Nor did his labours lighten。 The
Billow was ambitious。 It went in for illustration。 The processes were
expensive。 It never had any money to pay Kit Bellew； and by the same
token it was unable to pay for any additions to the office staff。
〃This is what comes of being a good fellow；〃 Kit grumbled one day。
〃Thank God for good fellows then；〃 O'Hara cried； with tears in his
eyes as he gripped Kit's hand。 〃You're all that's saved me； Kit。 But for
you I'd have gone bust。 Just a little longer； old man； and things will be
easier。〃
〃Never；〃 was Kit's plaint。 〃I see my fate clearly。 I shall be here
always。〃
A little later he thought he saw his way out。 Watching his chance； in
O'Hara's presence； he fell over a chair。 A few minutes afterwards he
bumped into the corner of the desk； and； with fumbling fingers； capsized a
paste pot。
〃Out late？〃 O'Hara queried。
Kit brushed his eyes with his hands and peered about him anxiously
before replying。
〃No； it's not that。 It's my eyes。 They seem to be going back on me；
that's all。〃
For several days he continued to fall over and bump into the office
furniture。 But O'Hara's heart was not softened。
〃I tell you what； Kit；〃 he said one day； 〃you've got to see an oculist。
There's Doctor Hassdapple。 He's a crackerjack。 And it won't cost you
anything。 We can get it for advertizing。 I'll see him myself。〃
And； true to his word； he dispatched Kit to the oculist。
〃There's nothing the matter with your eyes；〃 was the doctor's verdict；
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Smoke Bellew
after a lengthy examination。 〃In fact； your eyes are magnificenta pair
in a million。〃
〃Don't tell O'Hara；〃 Kit pleaded。 〃And give me a pair of black
glasses。〃
The result of this was that O'Hara sympathized and talked glowingly
of the time when the Billow would be on its feet。
Luckily for Kit Bellew； he had his own income。 Small it was；
compared with some； yet it was large enough to enable him to belong to
several clubs and maintain a studio in the Latin Quarter。 In point of fact；
since his associate editorship； his expenses had decreased prodigiously。
He had no time to spend money。 He never saw the studio any more； nor
entertained the local Bohemians with his famous chafing…dish suppers。
Yet he was always broke； for the Billow； in perennial distress； absorbed his
cash as well as his brains。 There were the illustrators who periodically
refused to illustrate； the printers who periodically refused to print； and the
office boy who frequently refused to officiate。 At such times O'Hara
looked at Kit； and Kit did the rest。
When the steamship Excelsior arrived from Alaska； bringing the news
of the Klondike strike that set the country mad； Kit made a purely
frivolous proposition。
〃Look here； O'Hara；〃 he said。 〃This gold rush is going to be big the
days of '49 over again。 Suppose I cover it for the Billow？ I'll pay my
own expenses。〃
O'Hara shook his head。
〃Can't spare you from the office； Kit。 Then there's that serial。 Besides；
I saw Jackson not an hour ago。 He's starting for the Klondike to…morrow；
and he's agreed to send a weekly letter and photos。 I wouldn't let him get
away till he promised。 And the beauty of it is； that it doesn't cost us
anything。〃
The next Kit heard of the Klondike was when he dropped into the club
that afternoon； and； in an alcove off the library； encountered his uncle。
〃Hello； avuncular relative；〃 Kit greeted； sliding into a leather chair and
spreading out his legs。 〃Won't you join me？〃
He ordered a cocktail； but the uncle contented himself with the thin
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native claret he invariably drank。 He glanced with irritated disapproval
at the cocktail； and on to his nephew's face。 Kit saw a lecture gathering。
〃I've only a minute；〃 he announced hastily。 〃I've got to run and take
in that Keith exhibition at Ellery's and do half a column on it。〃
〃What's the matter with you？〃 the other demanded。 〃You're pale。
You're a wreck。〃
Kit's only answer was a groan。
〃I'll have the pleasure of burying you； I can see that。〃
Kit shook his head sadly。
〃No destroying worm； thank you。 Cremation for mine。〃
John Bellew came of the old hard and hardy stock that had crossed the
plains by ox…team in the fifties； and in him was this same hardness and the
hardness of a childhood spent in the conquering of a new land。
〃You're not living right； Christopher。 I'm ashamed of you。〃
〃Primrose path； eh？〃 Kit chuckled。
The older man shrugged his shoulders。
〃Shake not your gory locks at me； avuncular。 I wish it were the
primrose path。 But that's all cut out。 I have no time。〃
〃Then what in…？〃
〃Overwork。〃
John Bellew laughed harshly and incredulously。